British pounds or Euros

GB uses pounds, get some before you leave or at least at airport when you arrive, just enough to get a snack or something. Enjoy London.

You can get pounds from the ATM at the airport when you land. The UK doesn't use Euros.

Britain uses pounds, USA uses dollars, European Union uses Euros. I am in the minority on this board but I always feel more comfortable taking enough of the local currency with me to get to my hotel and buy some snacks or a meal. At least $100 worth. More if i am arriving on a week end

Brian, I'm not sure you're "in the minority" regarding having cash on hand for travel expenses. I use the same method and always like to travel with at least $100 of the local currency.

You are not but I just get tired of arguing with the "get your money at the airport ATM" crowd. Maybe it is the old engineer in me but I like backup and redundancy. Never rely on a single event to meet my needs.

We're coming out of the woodwork! I too always carry enough of the local currency to get me to my hotel. Redundancy is a very good thing on my levels. You can usually get it at your local bank (may have to go the main branch) without a lot of fees if you are already their customer. Pam

I'm also a fan of bringing some local currency with me. The last thing I want to bother with when I arrive is looking for an ATM.

Brian, How funny! I read your post and thought 'I'm gonna respond to Brian' LOL. Guess I wasn't the only one who had THAT thought! I think there's a vocal majority that STRONGLY (LOL) advocates waiting until you get to your arrival airport, etc., and that doing otherwise is foolish, and perhaps TERRIBLY expensive! Those who have different ideas just don't want to fight the crowd - apparently, there's lots of us who'd rather not be the ones to hit the newly EMPTY ATM right off the plane :-( (fist in the air) EURO POWER! EURO POWER! LOL!!! (cont.)

(cont.) Before my first trip after the Euro came about, I bought some Euro; I kept some after my trip, so now I always return home with my next 'starting stash'. Kind of like a starter yeast, it you will. AND as a bonus, I have to keep returning to Europe because I return home with Euro...gosh darn it ;-) HANG ONTO SOME COINS = TOILET MONEY LOL! When you arrive at your first airport or train station, you may be confronted with a pay toilet...and they don't make change for a 20,00 Euro note! Robert, if you have an account at Wells-Fargo you can buy Euro/Pounds there at usually the best rate around; if not, according to their website you MAY have to pay a small fee (last I researched it was something like $5.00). You can just go to the bank; you don't have to have it sent to you for an extra fee. DO call your local branch first, though - not all banks sell international currency. And no coins, either. You CAN get the denominations you want, and THAT'S very convenient when no store will break your 100,00 Euro note for an espresso... Depending on how many are traveling with you, you just need some Euro/Pounds to get you into town (taxi, train, metro), and maybe a meal or some snacks; 100,00 Euro or less...hit the first ATM you see. If you're going to both GB and Continental Europe, you might get a bit of each currency.

I am pretty sure that Eileen means 100.00 Euros. The comma instead of the period might in a quick look make you think she meant 100,000 Euros. While I think we all wish we had that amount, you don't need it to get from the airport to your hotel. LOL. I'm now dreaming about what I would do with 100,000 Euros....Should I stay at a castle? Fly my whole family to Scotland? Fly my friends to Scotland? Buy lots of whisky? Pam

No, she meant 100,00. She was using the European system when the "," is used in place of the "."

Okey doke, Frank, but maybe confusing on a US board? I think it needs the Euro equivalent of $, which I've never been able to figure out how to use.. We'll need to start crossing our 7's next. ; ) At any rate, I'm still going to dream about spending 100,000 Euros. Pam

I do the same thing Eileen does. I brought euros home from my first trip and since then always bring some home with me for the next time. Hopefully that means that I will always go back. I have about 250 euros stashed for starting my trip next fall. I do stop at an ATM at the airport upon arrival. So far I have not found a machine to be out of cash...

On Thursday,we also leave for London and Dublin.I picked up some pounds and euros here to get us started, so we can hit the ground running.No wasted motion.

A refresher course: http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/temp.htm